Religious ceremonies authorized in France

Hand disinfection and mandatory mask, filtering at the entrance: religious ceremonies, banned due to the coronavirus epidemic, will be able to resume this Saturday in France, according to a decree published the same day.

This measure comes into force after a decision of the Council of State, the highest administrative court in France, which on May 18 ordered the government to lift the ban “general and absoluteMeeting in places of worship established as part of the state of health emergency in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Council of State had considered that this ban carried “a serious and manifestly unlawful interferenceTo freedom of worship.

Barrier gestures to respect

According to the decree published on Saturday, the managers of places of worship and organizers of ceremonies will have to make sure that the faithful respect barrier gestures and physical distance, wear a mask and disinfect their hands. At the entrance to the place of worship, a person will also have to regulate the flows so as not to exceed a maximum attendance gauge.

The measures apply to “anyone eleven and overAccording to the decree. Places of worship that do not respect these rules may be closed by the authorities.

The resumption of public celebrations was first announced for June 2. The Catholic episcopate has been pushing for the past few weeks to make it effective for Pentecost Sunday, May 31.

Eid al-Fitr, the feast for the breaking of the fast that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, will take place on Sunday, the French Council for Muslim Worship (CFCM) announced on Friday evening. This festival is traditionally celebrated with large collective prayers in the early morning.